. >> reporter: senate majority lyddite harry reid skewered house speaker john boehner, charging he's more interested in his leadership position than in bipartisan legislation. >> the speaker's number one goal is to get elected speaker on january 3rd. >> reporter: the two sides are at odds over tax cuts and spending. republicans say it's up to the democraticly controlled stat and white house to reach an agreement. >> republicans aren't about to write a blank check or anything senate democrats put forward just because we find ourselves at the edge of the cliff. >> reporter: members of the house were told to come back to washington sunday evening. they would have a little more than 24 hours to vote on a measure to avoid the fiscal cliff. danielle nottingham, cbs 2 news washington. >> a former bay area city councilman is about to learn firsthand how washington works or doesn't. he's a newly elected congressman and heading into a capitol hill quagmire. how the representative elect plans to help fix our fiscal ills. >> you're the freshman walking in. >> i'm ready to act. >> reporter: 31-ye